Southwestern Christian University is proud to announce their 70th anniversary. Over the last seven consecutive decades the university has seen a number of changes including the campus location from N.W. 10th street to N.W. 39th Expressway, the addition of a number of campus programs, and the integration of several successful intercollegiate athletic teams associated with the NAIA and NCCAA.

The university has continued to grow in a vast number of ways. The campus has added several new residence halls including the introduction of the Learning and Living Center in Fall 2016, continues to offer new programs and services, and has grown the university traditional student population to record breaking numbers during Fall 2016.​The university is thrilled to host their annual Homecoming weekend beginning on Thursday, November 3rd through Saturday November 5th. Students, Alumni, and Friends are invited to attend a series of events at the campus. Please join Southwestern in celebrating 70 years of excellence and ushering in many more years to come! The schedule of events is as follows:

Could it be that Dr. Lonnie Rex is the oldest living teacher in terms of the history of Southwestern Christian University since the beginning of the college in 1946 when Dr. R. O. Corvin founded the college?

Lonnie taught music in the second year of the college. He took the choir to the east coast and all the way to Washington, DC, and to Toronto, Canada, and the General Conference in Jacksonville, Florida. Lonnie purchased the choir robes for his choir on faith. That was the first time choir robes were worn in the western IPHC.

They did not have a bus. They used 5 cars owned by the students and/or their parents. Each driver was responsible for filling up the gas tank in his car. Their first stop was Memphis. The congregation received an offering for them. The Woman's Auxiliary prepared a supper to their delight and enjoyment. They were invited to stay in the homes of the people. The hosts prepared a breakfast for the members of the choir, and made a bag lunch for them for their travel to the next church. The offering provided money for the drivers to fill up their gas tanks. They sang in churches every evening throughout the tour. In addition, the love offerings were able to help Lonnie Rex pay off the loan he had taken out at the bank with interest. God honored the faith of Lonnie Rex. He wanted his choir to look their very best when they sang. He knew in his heart of hearts that it was important to make a good impression on the Pentecostal Holiness people in the east. There are some of my readers who were recruited and enrolled that fall at Southwestern College.

In addition, Lonnie and Betty Sorrels Rex were newly weds. They married on April 9, 1947, and they traveled with the choir that began the last of May. What a commitment they made to help the youth sing to the glory of God and to promote the college. It was one of the best recruitment efforts at that point in time of the new college in the west--Southwestern College. Youth from the east side of the Mississippi were attracted to Southwestern and enrolled for that fall term.

​Dr. Corvin had some concerns about the choir wearing robes. He did not want the people of the east to think they were liturgical and starchy. To the contrary, the people of the east loved it, and those youngsters sang their hearts out, and represented the college well. They were the hit of General Conference.]